SALISBURY, N.C. --- The Tusculum men's golf team carded a two-day, 27-hole score of 437 to finish fifth at the 2017 South Atlantic Conference Championship.  The rain-shortened event was held at the 6,685-yard, par-71 Country Club of Salisbury.  The 54-hole tournament was reduced to 27 holes due to heavy rains and flood over the past three days of the event.

The Pioneers tied for the low round of the day as they carded an even-par team score of 140 during Tuesday's nine-hole final round.  Only Mars Hill shot lower of the 12 teams competing.

Tuesday marked the end of a dynasty at Tusculum as head coach Bob Dibble coached in his final event with the Pioneers, ending a remarkable 28-year run at the Greeneville, Tennessee school.  Dibble will be retiring at the end of next month.

Carson-Newman won a four-hole playoff with Coker to claim the team championship.  After the two teams tied on a four-player score for three playoff holes, the Eagles finally prevailed on the fourth which was the par-3 ninth hole.  Anthony Marcinelli was the first player to play at the ninth green, and his chip from just off the green was the only birdie on the hole.  The other nine players pared and Carson-Newman won the hole and the Championship.

Coker rallied from five shots down to force the playoff with a 141 score over Tuesday's nine holes.  Both teams finished with a 431 total.

Wanjoo Lee of Coker captured medalist honors as he who finished at two-under-par score of 70-34=104.  Lee won by two strokes over the Newberry duo of Ben Thompson (71-35=106) and Carlos Leandro (70-36=106) and Sam Wimbrow (72-34=106) of Queens.

Tusculum senior Cameron Dugger earned a spot on the SAC All-Tournament second team as he finished with a two-over par 69-39=108, which was good enough to tie for ninth place.

TC sophomore David Whinery finished tied for 12^th place with his 27-hole total of 74-35=109.  Senior Taylor Smith birdied two of his final four holes to shoot a one-under par 34 and finished the tournament at five-over 111.  Senior Preston Tucker tied for 26^th place with his 77-35=112, while senior teammate Chris Hutson posted a one-over par 36 to finish with 117 and tie for 49^th place.

Smith wraps up his Tusculum career with a 75.31 career stroke average, which is the seventh lowest in program history.  His 73.43 stroke average this year is the eighth-best by a Pioneer.

Dugger also moved into the single-season top-10 with his 74.23 scoring average which was 10^th all-time.

2017 South Atlantic Conference Men's Golf Championship
Country Club of Salisbury | Salisbury, N.C.
Par 71/35 | Yards 6,685/3,245 yards 

Team Results

* won on 4th playoff hole

Tusculum Individual Scores